Fresh PCB Concepts: Resilience and Renewal in Domestic PCB Manufacturing
Designers Notebook: Power and Ground Distribution Basics
Elementary, Mr. Watson: Heat—The Hidden Villain of Power Electronics
IPC Unveils Pledge to Create 1 Million Skilled Workforce Opportunities
October 31, 2018 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Leaders of the U.S. electronics industry today unveiled the IPC Workforce Champions program and pledged to create at least 1 million new skilled workforce opportunities over the next five years.
The IPC pledge came during a White House meeting with President Donald Trump and other senior U.S. Officials. In addition to IPC President and CEO Dr. John Mitchell, the event was also attended by representatives of four IPC-member companies who spoke with the president about their companies’ experiences with workforce efforts:
- Darryl Graves of Zentech in Baltimore, Maryland;
- Meredith LaBeau of Calumet Electronics in Calumet, Michigan;
- Joe O’Neil of Green Circuits in San Jose, California; and
- Shane Whiteside of Summit Interconnect in Anaheim, California.
In July, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the National Council for the American Worker, which was charged with developing a national strategy for training and retaining workers for jobs in high-demand industries. The administration also invited companies and trade groups to sign a new Pledge to America’s Workers, committing themselves to expand programs to educate and train American workers. With the new pledges received today from IPC and others, the total number of such opportunities to be created is rising from 3.8 million to more than 6 million.
"As a leader in education, training and certification, IPC is proud to join with the Trump administration and our private sector colleagues in this effort to expand training and career opportunities for American students and workers," said IPC’s Mitchell. "The chronic shortage of adequately skilled workers is one of the most difficult challenges facing the electronics industry in the United States. We are totally committed to expanding and improving our industry's efforts to engage young people and train American workers with the technical skills they need to be successful in this industry."
In support of its pledge, IPC is making unprecedented, multi-million-dollar investments in its education, training and workforce programs. The multifaceted effort will include investments in training and credentialing programs, STEM programming in secondary and post-secondary schools, "Earn & Learn" programs, and new job opportunities.
To learn more about IPC's Workforce Champions Pledge, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
The Training Connection Continues to Grow with Addition of Veteran IPC Trainer Bill Graver
10/30/2025 | The Training Connection LLCThe Training Connection, LLC (TTC-LLC), a premier provider of test engineering and development training, is proud to announce the addition of Bill Graver to its growing team of industry experts. A respected professional with more than 35 years in electronics manufacturing, Bill joins as an IPC Master Trainer, bringing a wealth of hands-on experience in PCB testing, failure analysis, and process improvement.
Electronics Industry Warns Mexico Tariffs Could Undercut U.S. Manufacturing and Supply Chain Resilience
10/24/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationAs negotiations over U.S.–Mexico trade policies near an October 29 deadline, the Global Electronics Association released a new policy brief, From Risk to Resilience: Why Mexico Matters to U.S. Manufacturing.
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Revamp Your Components with BGA Reballing
10/14/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileBall grid array (BGA) components evolved from pin grid array (PGA) devices, carrying over many of the same electrical benefits while introducing a more compact and efficient interconnect format. Instead of discrete leads, BGAs rely on solder balls on the underside of the package to connect to the PCB. In some advanced designs, solder balls are on both the PCB and the BGA package. In stacked configurations, such as package-on-package (PoP), these solder balls also interconnect multiple packages, enabling higher functionality in a smaller footprint.
New Course Presents a Comprehensive Guide to IPC Standards
10/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Francisco Fourcade, electronics technology standards manager for the Global Electronics Association, has spent years helping companies understand and implement the standards that keep the electronics manufacturing industry moving forward. In this interview, he shares updates on ongoing standards development efforts and previews a new course, "IPC Standards: A Guide for the Electronics Industry,” which starts Oct. 14.
North American EMS Industry Shipments Down 1.4% in August
10/02/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe Global Electronics Association announced the August 2025 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.26.